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Morris County, NJ

Parsippany-Troy Hills

RANK #773 / 996 NAT  ·  #18 / 21 NJ  ·  POP 508,816

1YR FORECAST: +1.8%

5YR OUTLOOK: +17%

Our model projects Morris County's housing market at +1.8% over the next year, underperforming most U.S. counties.

[01] Why Morris County?

Morris County, New Jersey, is distinguished by its Revolutionary War history, with Morristown serving as General George Washington's military headquarters during two winters. Located approximately 30 miles northwest of New York City, the county offers a suburban lifestyle with convenient access to metropolitan areas. Commuters utilize NJ Transit rail lines like the Morris & Essex Line for direct service to New York Penn Station. The landscape features rolling hills, valleys, and lakes, with extensive parkland, including the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge and Lewis Morris Park, providing abundant outdoor recreation opportunities.

Life in Morris County is characterized by highly-rated public schools and a variety of housing options. The county attracts families and professionals, many of whom commute to nearby cities. The economy is driven by a corporate presence, including pharmaceuticals and advanced manufacturing, with ongoing redevelopment of commercial sites into mixed-use properties. There is also significant investment in industrial and logistics sectors, with new warehouse projects contributing to economic activity.

[02] Market Snapshot

Housing Ratio
4.5x

Below national median (4.7x)

GDP Growth
+1.2%

Well below national median

Home Prices
+3.2%

Outpacing national median

Climate & Terrain
1.3

Moderate climate & terrain

Price/Rent
16x

Above national median (13x)

Housing is fairly valued at 4.5x relative to local economic output. The typical U.S. county is 4–6x.

[03] Top Employers

  1. 1
    Atlantic Health System Healthcare
    10,000+
  2. 2
    Picatinny Arsenal Military
    5,000+
  3. 3
    Novartis Healthcare
  4. 4
    Barclays Finance
    2,500+
  5. 5
    ADP Technology
  6. 6
    Accenture Technology
    1,000+
  7. 7
    PricewaterhouseCoopers Finance
  8. 8
    Bayer Healthcare
  9. 9
    Cigna Healthcare
  10. 10
    Deloitte & Touche Finance

Estimated local headcount ranges. Larger employers shown as floor + "+"; smaller employers show exact counts where reported.

[04] Home Value Growth vs National

Morris County U.S. National

The Numbers

DEMOGRAPHICS
Population
508,816
+0.09% YoY
Median Household Income
$130,808
Median Home Value
$531,800
+3.17% 12mo
Median Rent
$1,814
Average Annual Pay
$101,208
+1.8% YoY
Employment
298,824
+0.7% YoY
Income-to-Home-Value
0.246
Near national average
Migration Inflow
3.1%
of pop. from another state
Bachelor's Degree+
57.1%
of residents (national avg: 33%)

Market Activity

REAL ESTATE
Median Sale Price
$625,000
Days on Market
33
Active market
Months of Supply
2.0
Seller's market
Sale-to-List Ratio
101.5%
Homes selling above asking
Sold Above List
50.4%
Listings w/ Price Drops
9.2%
Building Permits (2024)
2,055
Single-Family Permits
864

Source: Redfin · Census BPS — Browse sales on Redfin →

[05] Crime & Safety

A
SAFETY
GRADE
Homicide Rate
0.7
per 100K · nat avg 6.3
Firearm Fatalities
2.5
per 100K · nat avg 14.8
Injury Deaths
46.3
per 100K · nat avg 76.3
vs National Average
Well below national avg
based on homicide rate

Source: CDC/NCHS vital statistics via County Health Rankings (2020–2022 avg). Rates per 100,000 population. Grade based on homicide rate relative to national average (~6.3). Learn more →

[06] Air Quality

B
AIR QUALITY
GRADE
Median AQI (3yr)
36.3
Good
Good Air Days
88%
961 of 1,086 days
Unhealthy+ Days (3yr)
6
Sensitive groups affected
Primary Pollutant
Ozone
Ground-level ozone
Yearly Trend
2021
36
2022
36
2023
37
Median AQI · lower is better

Source: EPA Air Quality System (2021–2023). Grade based on 3-year average median AQI. Learn about AQI →

[07] Capital Investment

$218M
TOTAL
PROJECT AMOUNT STATUS
Riverdale Quarry Redevelopment (Warehouse Space)
Undisclosed
$120M Proposed
Morris County Capital Spending Plan (2026)
Morris County Board of County Commissioners
$37M Planned
Morris County Capital Spending Plan (2025)
Morris County Board of County Commissioners
$35M Planned
Mount Olive Solar Farm
CEP Renewables LLC / NJR Clean Energy Ventures Corporation
$26M Operating

Source: public records, news, corporate announcements. Amounts are estimates where noted.

[08] Score Breakdown

GDP Growth +1.2% 21 percentile
Population Growth +0.1% 33 percentile
Income Growth +5.7% 7 percentile
Vacancy Rate 0.8% 79 percentile
Home Price Change +3.2% 74 percentile
Rent Growth +1.9% 33 percentile
Price/Rent 16x 29 percentile

Bars show percentile rank among all 996 counties.

[09] Frequently Asked Questions

Is Morris County, NJ a good place to move to?

At 22/100, Morris County faces headwinds that place it in the lower third of the 996 counties we track. Median income of $130,808 combined with job growth of +0.7% suggests the local economy is struggling to keep pace with national trends.

Is Morris County affordable?

Morris County leans toward the expensive side. A median home value of $531,800 against an income-to-home-value ratio of 0.25 means housing eats a bigger share of local earnings than the national norm. Renters face $1,814/month on average.

Is Morris County growing or shrinking?

Population and employment in Morris County are both close to flat — population +0.1% YoY and jobs +0.7%. Home values shifted +3.2% over the past 12 months. A steady-state county, neither expanding quickly nor shrinking.

Are people moving to Morris County?

There's a moderate stream of newcomers. About 3.1% of residents moved from another state, which is above average and suggests Morris County has appeal as a relocation destination — though it's not among the highest-inflow counties nationally.

[10] Similar Counties by Size & Score

Sussex County, NJ 18 Somerset County, NJ 28 Mercer County, NJ 30 Hudson County, NJ 13 Burlington County, NJ 35 Warren County, NJ 35 St. Charles County, MO 22 Hamilton County, IN 22